Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of Austrian Application No. GM 191/2000 filed Mar. 16, 2000. Applicant also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7365 of PCT/AT01/00023 filed Jan. 30, 2001. The international application under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a combination of a switch and a fuse box.
2. Description of Prior Art
Such combinations are usually provided in order to enable the breaking of the electric circuit before the fuses in the case of the necessity to exchange such fuses. The fuses are constructed with a relatively small size and are provided with electrically conducting caps extending on either side over the jacket surface of said fuses, which caps rests on contact surfaces in the closed state of the receiving means.
In known such combinations the receiving means for the fuses usually assume the function of a switch or disconnector when fuses are inserted. In the closed position of the disconnector the fuses cooperate with contacts on the mains side. This leads to the disadvantage that a respective contact protection of the contacts on the mains side can only be achieved by a relatively complex mechanism in the opened state of the combination or the fixing device for the fuses.
From DE 94 03 039 U a switching arrangement provided with fuses is known which allows the exchange of fuses only when the fuse flap is opened, i.e. only in the no-load state. Moreover, the opening of the flap is only possible in the no-load state, i.e. the switch must be in the opened position during the opening of the flap. The switching arrangement does not prevent, however, that the switch is closed in the opened position of the flap and thereafter the fuse flap is closed, as a result of which an arc would be produced.
From GB 2 180 098 A a fuse box is known with a switch and an actuating shaft on which a grip can be inserted. The grip can be connected with a door of the fuse box. In the closed position of the switch the grip cannot be withdrawn from the actuating shaft and thus the door cannot be opened. This merely concerns a simple locking mechanism of the fuse box door. The exchange of fuses under load cannot be prevented in this manner.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to avoid this disadvantage and to provide a combination of the kind mentioned above which is characterized by a simple arrangement.
This is achieved in accordance with the invention in a combination of the of a switch which is controllable by a grip and a receiving means for fuses held in a swivelable flap, the switch being provided on a mains side of the receiving means for the fuses and being covered by a housing, the flap being locked with the grip in a closed switching position, the grip of the switch being held in the flap of the receiving means for the fuses, and the grip being insertable on an actuating shaft of the switch merely in an opened thereof.
The proposed measures ensure that an exchange of fuses is only possible when the switch is in its off position. Since the switch itself is provided with a respective housing, a secure shock-hazard protection is ensured. The shock-hazard protection is achieved in a very simple manner, namely by the arrangement of the switch.
The grip held in the flap can only be uncoupled from the switch in the position corresponding to the opened position of the switch, which is necessary for opening the flap receiving the fuses. Since the grip is an integral part of the flap, the switch cannot be actuated when the flap is opened and when the fuses are accessible. This ensures that the fuses are exchanged always in the no load state and the switch can only be actuated when the flap is closed.
The grip may overlap a free edge of the flap for receiving the fuse in a position corresponding to the closed switching position. The grip is appropriately arranged as a toggle.